Lactation in a cow begins after calfing. After a calf has been weaned the milking cycle begins. Milkings take place generally at two or three spaced time intervals each day using milking mechanisms which simulate the natural sucking of the weaned calf. The cow at milking time naturally relaxes the teat sphincter muscle which results in the opening the strep canal of the teat. Bacteria associated with the environment of the cow, including manure, can enter into the blood stream of the cow and cause, for example, the commonly-found mastitis disease. For some decades, dairy persons have sprayed or otherwise provide teat dip to the base of the udders and the teats to minimize this malady. The spray or dip normally is a topical preparation of chlorine or iodine in a water-alcohol solution which minimizes mastitis attacks. Generally the four teats of the cow have been sprayed with sanitizing fluid. The wetted teat then is allowed to "sit" for a short period of time usually about 30-90 seconds, excess fluid is wiped off by a single service paper towel and the milking machine attached to the cow. After milking, a second spray is utilized since it has been found that the cow needs bacterial protection for about an hour after milking.
In the prior art, cups of sanitizing fluid have been raised so a teat depends into the cup, including a cup attached to a plastic squeeze bottle containing a supply of sanitizing fluid. Thereafter, spray bottles including a simple pressure pump and trigger, such as also used for spraying insecticides or window cleaning solutions, have been employed. More sophisticated systems have came into vogue recently involving vacuum-operated automated spray devices which included a hand-operated valve connected by hoses to a central fluid supply and a spray nozzle for spraying the teats pre- and post-milking. A recent development of Ambic Equipment Limited of England includes a back-pack fluid supply tank and a piston-type squeeze gun having a tube extension with a nozzle head. The spray device can spray various amounts of fluid and can be manually moved to spray the udder and its depending teats. Excess spray merely drops to the dairy room floor. There has been a continual need to better bathe the bovine teats to prevent or minimize mastitis attacks.